The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-08-13

he placed himself under the opening in the
roof and hallooed with all his might. ALI
in vain, nobody came. Perceiving that he
was growing hoarse, he ceased his useless
efforts and determined to husband his
voice; perchance by listening intently he
might catch some sound from the outside
world which would show him when any !
body was within earshot. So, folding his
arms on his breast, he stood in the middle |
of the dungeon, his head bent forward, all
his faculties concentrated into the effort to
hear. Time passed, minutes grew into
hours and, there he stood, motionless as a
statue. Once or twice he heard distant
sounds aud shouted again and again, but
no one came At last he looked at his
watch and saw it was night. Hope was
over for that day, so wrapping himself in
his capG he lay down on the hard stone
floor, and, notwithstanding cold, hunger and
anxiety, youth asserted itself and he slept.
When he awoke, cold and stiff, his watch
told him that it was morning, and rising
from his uneasy bed he resumed his post.
Now and then shudder ran through iiim
from head to foot, otherwise he did not
stir. Suddenly his heart gave jump, he
heard sounds of voices, moment more
and he distinguished that of Miss O'Brian.
By one of those acoustic mysteries not un
common in old Moorish buildings, the
voices of people going up to the tower were
clearly audible in the dungeon at one place
on the flight Of steps, 1t was on that spot
that Patty had paused to answer Mr.. Birley.
Summoning all his strength, the poor pris-
oner gave vent to the desperate shout,
which, though it reached the ears it was
| intended for, was neither understood nor
needed. When the dead silence which
{ succeeded his outcries had endured long
, enough to convince Don Ramon that no
one was coming to his aid, he flung himself
f on the ground, and burying his face in his
, arms cursed his wretched fate. For some
: time he lay there apathetie, a reaction set
l in, and he seemed to let go all hope of life
S Presently, however, turning over and rails
s ing himself ON one elbow, he felt something
! pressing against his side; he put his hand
0 on it mechanically to move it aside, and an
exclamation burst from his lips as he drew
. out his revolver.
No man goes unarmed in Spain. Th'
s lower classes carry the aapd9d, or larg'
t clasp knife, and Don Ramons pistol, it il
" needless to say, was loaded. He sprang t.
/ his feet and fired The result was smoke
e which nearly choked him and great down
h fall of rubbish and bits of stone. H
paused-no one came-clearly most of tn
i. noise remained inside, for he was nearl
n deafened. He decided to wait, as he ha
done tefore, till he heard voices outside
g and then try the effects of firing his re
lie naming barrels.
to When it became known at the hotel tina
a second night had passed without any new
le of Don Ramon, and that the landlord il
tended sending down to inform the polict
the guests began to take lively interest
er his disappearance, At almuerzo the col
yersation turned on nothing else, and 9
h, tourists in Andalusia always have the
heads filed with gruesome stories by guide
y; and chance companions, whose great JOY
or is to astonish strangers, doleful prognosti,
he were not lacking One gentleman told ho
rich Spaniard had beea seized by briganC
" on his way to his country seat near tt
er Sierra, aud after his friends had rescue
IN HIM by paying heavy ransom, he W,
IS fGEaa. tS l s:9iis 81
e. sequence of the ill-treatment to which
Of had been subjected. To this and otht
lg tragic tales was added, in scaudalized aside
s, the serio-comic one of the party of tourist
to who, regardless of warnings, penetrate
unprotected into the gipsyquarter beyon
Ie the Darro, and were by those semi-savage
at stripped stark naked and obliged to retur
:" to their hotel in that shameful condition
id Patty 0'Brian sat on thoraa all throug
is the discussion, and as soon as the meal wa
le over, slipped away her anxiety was grow
IA ing unhearable, and she felt she must d
something to aid the search, though sh
d did not know in the least how to hegiI
er Leaving the hotel, she turned her steF
N toward the Alhambra There she had las
ID seen Don Ramon; there she instinctivel
r. turned to pick up some clue to his where
ahouts.
u Outside the Tore de la Vela she sa,
y old Antonio smoking his papelito and sun
l. ming himself; she went up to him. A
t, she came near she called out
h "Have you any news, Antonio %
d "News?" said the old man. II don
o know what you call news, but l can tel
o you we shall have an earthquake ere long
"a "What makes you think so, Antonio
1t They had turned towards the tower, an,
10 were at the foot of the steps,
e II have heard strange noises undergroun,
It the last two days, and that generally mean
s there is going to be an earthquake, Las
is time 1 remember-Hark- there it is, senior
n ita
|, Patty heard distinctly sort of mufflet
b explosion, and at the same time she re
It membered the mysterious voice which haC
r seemed to call her the day she had stood
e there with Mr.. Birley. A sudden idel
a struck her.
! "What is there below the tower, An
4 tonic ?"
n Nothing to interest strangers leas
a not now; there was passage leading down
e into the town, but that has been long built
g up. One can only enter some vaults and
: passages at present"
y 81 should like so much to explore those
D vaults; do take me down, Antonio, please
do"
$ And she put on one of her sweetest
e smiles.
: Antonio was old and lazy, but no Span.
. lard, were he a hundred, is proof against
! the Establishments of the opposite sex, So
t after telling her that she would be much
disappointed-there was nothing worth
} seeing-he went to fetch lantern, and she
/ awaited him in breathless suspense.
When they were entering the doorless
DOORWAY, he said:
'Now, senorita, you must walk carefully.
l go first, holding the light low, for there
, is big hole in the middle of the passage
J into which you could easily fall"
They went on till Antonio said;
"Take care; here is the hole, senorita"
"Where does it lead to ?" said Patty,
stopping.
''God knows" he replied.
,.sYou have never had the curiosity to go
| i